Jakarta, Indonesia, July 25: The highly rated Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament 2019 presented by Panasonic will return for its sixth consecutive edition on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) from August 21 to 24 (Wednesday to Saturday) next month.

The popular event will continue to boast a prize purse of US$110,000 and will once again be held at the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course – BSD Course by Damai Indah Golf, located in Tangerang, Greater Jakarta.

Co-sanctioned by the ADT and the Professional Golf Tour of Indonesia,the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament 2019 presented by Panasonic will be the 11th leg of the 2019 ADT season and the third event to be played in Indonesia this year.

Last August, Miguel Carballo claimed a thrilling victory for his first ADT title after prevailing in a record-breaking play-off battle that stretched over seven holes. He became the first ever Argentinean to win on the ADT following his breakthrough win.

Carballo had closed with a flawless eight-under-par 64 to force the sudden-death play-off with Amir Nazrin of Malaysia and Poom Pattaropong of Thailand after the trio was tied on 16-under-par 272 total in regulation play.

The play-off battle, held on the par-five 18th hole, saw Amir getting eliminated on the first extra hole after he hit a wayward tee shot into the water hazard which resulted in a par while Carballo and Poom birdied.

The remaining duo then went head to head in what is the longest play-off battle on the ADT since the secondary circuit was inaugurated in 2010. The lengthy play-off also matched the record set on the premier Asian Tour in 2001.

Carballo would go on to cap a solid 2018 season where he was crowned the ADT Order of Merit champion, thanks to one win and eight other top-10s in 13 starts.He is now a two-time winner on the region’s secondary circuit after claiming his second title in Thailand two months ago.

In 2017, Japan’s Masaru Takahashi sensationally ended a four-year title droughtwhen he closed with an eight-under-par 64 to win by one shot over Singaporean veteran Mardan Mamat for his second ADT title.

The 31-year-old Takahashi went on to cap a superb season where he finished second on the final ADT Order of Merit in 2017, courtesy of one win and nine top-10s, and secured his playing rights for the Asian Tour season in 2018.

Oscar Zetterwall of Sweden earned for himself a prized Tour card for the 2017 Asian Tour season after finishing third on the 2016 ADT Order of Merit, thanks largely to his victory at the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament that year.

At the 2015 Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament, Michael Tran of Vietnam secured his ADT breakthrough after prevailing in a play-off while James Byrne of Scotland emerged victorious after claiming a three-shot victory in the inaugural edition in 2014.

DR. (HC) Ir. Ciputra, Chairman of the Ciputra Group, said: “We’re excited to announce the return of the tournament on the ADT this year. We have celebrated many worthy winners through the staging of the event over the past few years and we hope to continue doing our utmost best in supporting the development of golf not only in Indonesia but across Asia.”

This year will mark the third year that Panasonic will provide a special exemption to the 2019  Panasonic Open in Japan.  The exemption goes to the best Indonesian professional at the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament.  Last year Danny Masrin took the honor of the best Indonesian professional.

Jimmy Masrin, Chairman of the Asian Tour, said: “On behalf of our members, I would like to express our appreciation to Ciputra and Panasonic for their unwavering dedication towards the development of golf in the region.

“The ADT has proven to be a successful platform for aspiring golfers to hone their skills and gain valuable competitive golf experiences but we would not be able to achieve that without the support and commitment of sponsors like Ciputra and Panasonic.”

“We are proud to be receiving the continuous support of a global company like Panasonic. We have enjoyed great successes and proud of the commitment until this edition” added Budiarsa Sastrawinata the Managing Director of Ciputra Group.

Being one of the richest events on the ADT schedule this season, the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament will play a pivotal role in determining the Order of Merit rankings, where the top seven players on the final 2019 Order of Merit will earn a coveted Asian Tour card for 2020.

By featuring on the ADT schedule, the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament will also offer Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. The winner will receive at least six OWGR points while the top six players and ties will also earn points based on a sliding scale.

For more information on the ADT, please visit www.asiandevelopmenttour.com.

Ends.